Sylphon-bellows detector for sanitary can testers



Feb'. .-n, 1930. V. woon 1,746,296

SYLPHON BELLOWS DETECTOHFOR SANITARY CAN -TESTERS Filed omA 19. 192s 2sheets-sheet 2v f 26 x9 2 I IN To ,5% 5v Y my# A ORNEY Patented Feb. i1,i930- UNITED STATES VERNON WOOD, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TOAMERICAN CAN COMPANY, I

PATEN'r orf-'Ica OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF NEWJERSEY Application led October 19, 1928.- Serial No.f313,435.

The present invention relates to improve-v ments in apparatus ortestingcans to den termine the leaky from the non-leaky, and

more particularly to a form ofleak detectingV element which isparticularly sensitive to diiierences in air pressures, which is simplein its construction and operation, and which is also comparatively freefrom repair and of adjustment after once being set.

The principal object of the invention 'is the -provis1on, in cooperationwith an air pressure can apparatus, of a one piece, closed,circumterentially bellowsed cylinder, which, due to its formation, isincapableoi lateral expansion and contraction, and is free for linealexpansion and contraction on the application thereto ot various internalpressures in the testing of cans. With the above mentioned and otherobjects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction andcombination of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in theaccompanyingdrawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; itbeing understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size andminor details of construction within` the scope ot the claims may beresorted to without departing from. the spirit or sacrificing any of theadvantages of the invention.

Referring to the drawings illustrating one y embodiment of theinvention- Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a por tion of a cantesting apparatus with the preterredA embodiment of my `invention illustrated in connection therewith.

Fig. 2 is a View in vertical elevation ot the bellows assembly, with theupper portion in section, and illustrating the electric "circuitcontacting device. e

Fig. 3 is a -view in detail section of one of thel can holding devices,a plurality of which are disposed about the periphery of a'tester Iwheel.

Fig. 4 is ay view in detaill elevation of the controlling' air valve,consisting of Vsuperimi posed ported valve discs, one rotatablerelatively to the other.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section online 5-5 of Fig. 4, illustrating theports and channels can, or no can to test.

registering to admit air to flow in the direction of the arrows from thesupply to a can.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view on line 6-6 of Fig. 4, withl thevalve discs in position to afford a connection between the can Y beingtested and the controlling bellows.

disc in a position, with the ports and channels cooperating, to admit anair ow in the direction of the arrow, to restore the counter-balancingpressure in the bellows,

should the same have dropped, due toa leaky l y Fig. 8 is a similarsection on line 8-8 of Fig. 4, illustratingthe registration of the portsand channels in the valve rings tov admit air trom 4the `storage tank tochamber in the rotating ring.

In presenting the present invention, only those parts ot a canl testingapparatus hav# ing direct connection with the present invention andessentialfin its description, arrangement and operation have beenillustrated in the drawings, it being clearly apparent that thoseskilled in the can making art will readily comprehend the invention;trom the tollowing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, and thereby will-be in a position toI incorporatemy prestions 4; each adapted to receive a can tobe tested, as theysuccessively pass the can feed stati-on A, and each to discharge itstested can, as they successively pass lthe can discharge? stationkB.lThe testing wheel is rotated in the, direction of the yarrow C, Fig. 1,by any, suitableV mechanism, not shown.

Forl illustration in Fig. 3,cach can testing station comprises a pairof' oppositely disV posed end plates 5 and 6, the former mounted on theface of the tester wheel 3, and the latter reciprocable on a supportingrod 7 extending laterally from the face of the wheel 3. One end of therod is mounted in a bearing 8, disposed transversely of the tester`wheel near its periphery. I

Suitable mechanism, not shown, is provided for operating each testingstation and plate 6 to move the same to and from its cooperating platein holding the'can 9. during the testing operation.

Cans'to b e tested, open at one end, are delivered at station A to thesuccessive can testing stations 4, as the same pass station A,

with the open end 9i .the-can'facing plate 5,v

Fig. 3, so that when the cans are clamped 1n s testing position, theirrespective end walls will seat against the respective gaskets 10,

the latter sealing the ends orf/the can for testingipurposes.

Radiating from the rotatable ring 11 of the valve structure surroundingthe `axis 2, are

the pipes 12, one communicating with eachV testing station 4, through aport 13 in the respective end plates 5.

The pipes are initiallysupplied with air under pressure after thetesting stations 4 are successively supplied with cans on passingstation A. This is accomplished when the ports 14I and 14 in stationaryvalve ring 15 register with ports 16 and 16 in the valve ring 11, one ofwhich latter ports communicates with each of the pipes 12 witlain'tharing 11. Valve rings 11 and 15 are-kdisposed withV their ported' facesin rictional contact, and injactual practice are so constructed that airescape between them is negligible` and intercommunication' between therespective pipes and ports is interrupted when the respective ports areout of register. Ports 14:

and 145 connect respectively through'pipes air'under the same pressureis 'successively admitted into the cans 9iixnmediately after .their endsare sealed by the gaskets l10.` The cans thus charged with airunderpressure are conveyed `from station vA to. the point 6'-6,

1 and 4, at which time ports 17 of vpipes 12 'successively registerwith'port 18 in ring 1 5, Fig. 6,L and which` connects throughvpipe 19with the interior of vbellows `20, ,Figs '1 m/ and 2.

Bellows 20, 2, is a onev piece metallic body of cylindricalconstruction, ycircumferentially bellowsedat 21, top'reclude the same yoo tion 22 of a block. 23, andto a flange 24: of

the block is secured the upper edge of the bellows. The guide occupiesconsiderable space within the bellows, necessitating but little air tobe admittedthereinto to cause its operation.

M `Pipe 19 threads into the lend of aehannel 25 lineal expansion and,

`40 142 andlli:i with an air reservoir 1&4. Thus "i" ment of screw 26limits theilin'e'al contracting movement of bellows 20. Where the upperway of its length into lock 23. The adjust-"1wv end of screw 26 passesthrough block 23 it is surrounded by a packing 27 adapted to be acted onby a gland 28 threaded into block 23. A bracket 29 carried by the base 1mounts the block 23 and dependingly supports the bellows. A lock nut 28holds the screwv in its adjusted position. On the bracket 29 is a yoke30, between the extensions of which lies the end of stirrup 31, theupper end of which is attached to the outer face of the lower endv ofthe bellows 20. The stirrup 31 is of relatively rigidconfstruction andits lineal movement downwardly, occasioned by\ the expansion of beljlows 20, is limited bythe adjusting stop screw .lows 2O with anadjustable contact point 34 on the upper extension of the yoke 30.

On the registration of the ports, 17 of successivepipes 12 with the port18 of pipe 19, the vpressure in bellows 20, which is normally maintainedat the same pressure as that Within the cans 9 immediately after leavingstation A, will be effected by a drop of-pressure in the can, due toleakage or any other canse. Aand said pressure drop will release thepressure in bellows20, and the construction of'the same willfcau'se itscontraction. The contraction of the bellows is such as to complete anelectric circuit or operate mechanism which will sort the leaky cansfrom lthey nonleaky as the same are discharged "from the apparatus'atlthe point B, which is Slightly to one side of the line 6 6 of Figs.

l and 4. v

Immediately after registering with port 18 of pipe 19 to determine theleak in the can, 1f one exists, the successive pipes 12 register throughports 35 in ring 11, line 7--7, Fig. 4, which ports communicate with theannular channel 36 in ring 11,' and through this connectlonconveythrough pipe 37, eXten`d-. l'ng'from the stationary ring 15, airunder pressure to the bellows 2O to Vrestore the .pressure therein up tothe normal initial so 'I aoA It isv understood that at station A thereis provided mechanism for moving successive plates 6 toward plates 5 toclamp cans between the same for the testing operation, and also that amechanism is provided, as tlie can holding stations 4 approach dischargestation B, to move plates 6 away from plates 5 to release the cans fromstations 4;

The'mechanism illustrated for sorting the leaky from the non-leaky cansas the same are discharged at the station B by the successive testingstations Il registering therewith, is of rmy of the well known types,and since the same formsno part of the present invention,

its construction has been .dispensed with.

On the contraction of bellows 2O in detecting a leaky can as the samearrives at the station B, mechanism of any suitable form or type,forming no part of the present invention, is operated on the making ofcontacts 33 and 34, to direct a leaky can in a path different from thepath of travel of nonleaky cans from said station.

By employing the bellows construction, Fig. 2, as a detecting chamber todetermine the loss in pressure in successive cans, I provide anextremely sensitive and eflicient unit,

which is free from the troublesome diaphragm and-piston constructionsheretofore employed.

- By circumferentiallyA ,bellowsing the bellows forming'body in parallelspaced planes,

' a structure is provided having a considerable length fromy end to end,the entire surface of which is free from movement on the expansion andcontraction of the body, distributing the expansive and contractiveforces .over the entire area of the unit.

The present bellows lconstruction is not susceptible to easy distortion,is capable of withstanding considerable internal pressure,

and isadapteddfor expansion and contraction on slight variations ofinternal v pressure therein.

I claim 1 1. In a detector for leaky cans comprising a plurality of cantesting stations for receiving cans to 'be tested,means for supplyingair under pressure `to the interior of each can,

a detector element comprising a closedcylindrical body circumferentiallybellowsed in parallel spaced planes providing a chamber,

, and free for lineal'expansion andcontraction,

means for charging. the interior ofthe bellows with air under pressurecorresponding" to that in the cans, means for causing a successiveregisterlng of the-cans with the belma plurality ing cans to be tested,means for suppl'y'ing air undery pressure to the interior of eac can, adetector element comprising a closed cylindrical body circumferentiallybellowsed in parallel spaced planes providing a chamber, means formounting the bellows at one end to permit its free expansion andcontraction for the remainder of its length, means for limiting theexpansion and contraction of the bellows within predetermined limits,means for charging the interior under pressure corresponding to that inthe cans, means for causing a successive registering of the cans withthe bellows at an interval of time after their initial charge with air,wherebya loss of pressure in a can lowers the pressure in the bellows toindicate a leaky can,

vand meansA for restoring a drop of pressure in the bellows after thesame communicates with each can.

3. In a detector for of can testing stations for receiving cans to 'betested, means for supplying air under pressure to the interior of eachcan, a

detector element comprising a closed cylindrical bodycircumferentiallybellowsed in parallel spaced planes providing a chamber,

means for mounting the bellows at oneend to lpermit its free expansionand contraction for the remainder of its length, an adjustable stop forlimiting the expansion of the bellows, and

'a second adjustable stop for limitir g the contraction of the bellows,means for charging the interior of the bellows with air under pressurecorresponding to that irl-the cans, means for causing a successiveregistering of the cans with the bellows at an interval of time aftertheir initial charge with air, where- 4by aloss of pressureI in a canlowers the pressure in the bellows to indicate a leaky can, and meansfor restoring a drop of pressure in the bellows after the samecommunicates with each can'.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

' i VERNON WOOD.

lows at an interval of time after their initial charge with air, wherebya loss of pressure in a'can lowers the pressure inthe bellows toindicate a leaky can, and means for restoring a drop of pressure in thebellows after the same communicates with each can.

2. In a detector for leaky cans comprising i va plurality of can testingstations for receivof the bellows with air l leaky cans comprising v ias

